Kgalagadi to get water from South Africa

Water supply problems in the parched Kgalagadi region are set to ease with new flows from a proposed cross-border pipeline to South Africa and boreholes currently being drilled around Bokspits area.

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Botlhogile Tshireletso told the House of Chiefs that construction of the pipeline is expected to start soon and on completion, it will supply Kgalagadi South with five million cubic litres per annum. Construction of the pipeline is expected to take nine months. Tshireletso said a commissioned study on the Water Master Plan for the Kgalagadi South and its recommendation will be completed at the end of this month. “As part of bilateral cross border agreement, my ministry is currently in negotiation with South African government for five million cubic metres per annum to supply Middlepits and adjacent villages and as part of emergency strategies, the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) is currently drilling boreholes in the Bokspits area,” she explained. The Assistant Minister was answering a question from Kgosi David Toto of Kgalagadi.
Another question came from Kgosi Mbao Kahiko III of Gantsi West who wanted to know why Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) has increased connection fees when it was a challenge for people to pay the old rates.Botlhogile replied that during water sector reforms, it was observed that there was marginal difference between the standard connection fees charged by WUC and the defunct DWA. She said the connection fee at WUC is applicable if the connection is within five metres from a service pipeline. “Anything beyond five metres had a cost based connection which was higher than the standard charge while WUC charged P900 while DWA charged P849,” she explained. She added that in April 2012, government revised the standard connection charge upward to P1,500 for a connection of up to 50m. Due to poor network planning, this assisted many customers to make connections.

Mmegi Online, 7 February 2013

How do we anticipate supplying another country with water if we can’t even provide water for our own country!? And who is going to pay for this? Not the people receiving it, that is almost a guarantee. Save money and save water, get off the grid and harvest your own rainwater.